Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-24

1 y
been just the best and bravest and incest fell
lows l ever met, though given to the use of
| profane language.
| asked a page or two back, what is gen.
tleman? I'll answer it now: a royal naval
| officer is, in a general sort of way, though
| of course, there may be black sheep among
| them here and there. fancy it is just the
| wide sea and the breath of Gods winds that
| washes their hearts and blows the bitterness
| out of their minds and makes them what
men ought to be. Well to return, | was
! right again; found out that he was naval
| officer, a lieutenant Of thirty-one, who, after
| seventeen years service, had been turned
| out of her majeSty's employ with the barren
| honor of q commanders rank, because it
| was impossible that he should be promoted.
| That is what people who serve the queen
| have to expect; to be shot out into the cold
world to find living just when they are be-
ginning to really understand their werk. and
to get to the prime of life.
Well, L suppose they don't mind it, but for
nay part [ had rather earn my bread as a
hunter. Ones halfpence are as scarce pep
haps but you don't get so many kicks His
name [ found out-by referring to the pas
| senger'S list-was Good-Captain John Good.
He was broad, of medium height, dark,
stout, and rather a curious man to look at.
He was SO very neat, and SO very clean
shaven, and always wore an eyeglass in his
right eye. 1t seemed to grow there. for 4
had no string, and ne never took it out eX-
cept to wipe it. At first 1 thought he used
to sleep in it, but | afterward found that this
was a mistake. He put it in his trousers
| pocket when he went to bed, together with
his false teeth, of which he had two beauti-
fr1l tI,oth ho;,,
of the best, caused me to break the tenth
commandment. But am anticipating.
Soon after we got under weigh evening
closed in, and brought with it very dirty
weather. A keen breeze sprung up off land,
and q kind Of aggravated Scotch mist soon
drove everybody from the deck. And as for
that Dunkeld, she is a fiat-bottomed punt,
and going up light as she was, she rolled
very heavily. IL almost seemed as though
she would go right over, but she never did.
quIuo impossible to walk about so I
stood near the engines where it was warm,
and amused myself with watching the pen
dulum, which was fixed opposite to me,
swinging slowly backward and forward as
the vessel rolled, and marking the anglo she
touched at each lurch.
That pendulum's wrong; it is not proper
ly weighted" suddenly said voice at my
shoulder, somewhat testify. Looking round
| saw the naval officer [ had noticed when
the passengers came aboard.
Indeed, now what makes you think sop
I asked.
think so. [ don't think at ALL Why
there'-as she righted herself after 4 roll
IF the ship had really rolled to the degree
that thing pointed to then she would never
have rolled again, that's all. But it is just
like these merchant shippers, they always
are so confoundedly careless"
Just then the dinner-beIl rung, and I was
not sorry, for it is dreadful thing to have
to listen to an officer of the royal navy when
he gets on to that subject. L only know one
worse thing, and that is to hear a merchant
skipper express his candid opinion of officers
of the royal navy.
Captain Good and went down to dinner
together, and there we found Sir Henry Cur
It's already seated. He and Captain Good
sat together, and opposite them. The cap
tain and soon got into talk about shooting
and what not; he asking me many questions,
and answering as well as | could. Present
ly he got on to elephants.
''Ah, sir" called out somebody who was
sitting near me, you've got the right man
for that; Hunter Quatermain should be able
to tell you about elephants if anybody can"
Sir Henry, who had been sitting quite
quiet listening to our talk, started visibly.
Excuse me, sir" he said leaning forward
across the table, and speaking in a low, deep
voice, q very suitable voice it seemed to me,
sir, but is your name Allen Quatermain?'
/ said it was.
The big man made no further remark, but
I heard him mutter fortunate" into his
beard.
Presently dinner came to an end and as
we were leaving the saloon Sir Henry came
up and asked me if l would come into his
cabin and smoke pipe. accepted, and he
led the way to the Dunkeld cabin, and
very good cabin it was 1t had been two
cabins, but when Sir Garnet or one of those
big swells went down the coast in the Dun
keld, they had knocked away the partition
and never put it up again. There was sofa
in the cabin, and little table in front of it.
Sir Henry sent the steward for bottle of
whisky and the three of us sat down and lit
our pipes.
'Mr Quatermain," said Sir Henry Curtis,
when the steward had brought the whisky,
and lit the lamp, 'the year before last about
this time you were, believe, at place
called Bamangwato, to the north of the
TranSvaal."
81 was" | answered, rather surprised that
this gentleman should be so well acquainted
with my movements, which were not, so far
as was aware, considered of general in
terest.
''You were trading there, were you notV'
put in Captain Good, in his quick way.
81 was. L took up wagon-load of goods,
and made camp outside the settlement,
and stopped until / had sod them"
Sir Henry was sitting opposite to me III
Madeira chair, his arms leaning on the table.
He now looked up, fixing his large gray eyes
full upon my face. There was curious anx-
iety in them thought.
did you happen to meet man called
Neville there?"
''Oh, yes; he outspanned alongside of me
for fortnight to rest his oxen before gong
on to the interior. had a letter from law
yer few months back asking me if L knew
what had become of him, which / answered
to the best of my ability at the time
Yes said Sir Henry, ''your letter was
forwarded to me- You said in it that the